The Biggest Mistakes Churches Make When Selecting a Video Camera

Buying a new video camera is exciting, but don't rush into it. Your choice of camera can help make or break your media ministry’s creative capacities. So it’s important to take the time to consider all the variables--and get it right.

It’s always a thrilling moment when a church film or broadcast team gets final approval to move forward with the purchase of a new video camera. More so than most other purchases, acquiring a new camera can represent an important step forward in the creative abilities and capacity of a media ministry.

Unfortunately, making a mistake on such a critical decision can have long-lasting repercussions on the direction and capacity of a video team. So how can strong directors and leaders be sure they’re purchasing the best camera to move their team into a preferred future? Here are some of the most common pitfalls to avoid when selecting a new video camera for your team.

Mistake #1: Buying a Video Camera for the Projects You Wish You Were Making, Rather Than the Projects You Need to Be Making

When it comes to church film and broadcast ministry there are a number of different types of content teams are called on to create. These include wildly divergent styles such as documentary, cinematic, IMAG, ENG-style news programming and live streaming content, each with their own unique demands and challenges.

There’s a real danger in purchasing a camera that meets the needs of your favorite type of content rather than the type your church has commissioned you to create.

There’s no such thing as a perfect all-around camera. A product feature that one type of video producer would consider as a drawback may well be indispensable to another cinematographer’s work. While it’s fine to be a bit forward thinking when selecting a camera for your video ministry, it’s important to be clear about the primary type of content your team will be expected to produce with this new camera in the coming 12 months.

They keyword to remember is “primary.” The camera may have a secondary or tertiary way it’s going to be implemented, but it’s crucial to be clear what type of content will be most important. There’s a real danger in purchasing a camera that meets the needs of your favorite type of content rather than the type your church has commissioned you to create.

The best way to avoid this mistake is to begin with some self-evaluation and a good conversation with the person above you on the org chart. Purchasing a new camera can present an organic opportunity to connect with additional stakeholders, ensuring that you, your team and your leadership are still in complete alignment about what’s most important for the life and health of the church.

Mistake #2: Buying Less Camera Than Your Team Will Need

Selecting the minimum viable camera your team can get by with is easily the most understandable mistake on this list. We want to demonstrate our willingness to stay on mission by being good stewards of the finite resources we’ve been allotted.

The problem with this approach is that it often leverages the long-term success of our team for short-term goodwill that never materializes. When selecting a new video camera we have to remember that we’re the experts on what we need. It’s unfair to expect executive leadership to understand all of the variables that go into creating great content with a camera. They can’t know whether what we’re asking for represents compromise or overreach. It’s our responsibility to invest the time to make a balanced recommendation that will set our team up for a productive future.

… you might be surprised how often a well-reasoned approach can sway budgeting decisions.

One strategy for avoiding this mistake of under-buying is to begin your process by asking what are the camera features (resolution, dynamic range, codecs, etc.) and specification (pro audio inputs, built-in ND filtering, low-light abilities, etc.) your team will need to succeed in the coming years. Once you know the answers to those questions begin the process of finding a camera that ticks as many boxes as possible.

The camera you select may cost more than your leadership had in mind to spend. In situations like this it’s crucial to present your findings and let those stakeholders know that anything less will represent a compromise. They may choose to move forward with that compromise, but you might be surprised how often a well-reasoned approach can sway budgeting decisions.

Mistake #3: Buying More Camera Than Your Team is Ready For

As the flip side of Mistake #2, it’s entirely possible when purchasing a new camera to take a leap entirely too large for where your video team is currently. As hard as it is to believe, it really is possible to overshoot the runway when purchasing a new video camera.

A good example of this kind of over-buying would be in the case of a developing film team that’s making a real impact at a growing church. As the new budget year approaches the leadership of the church wants to encourage the video team by upgrading the cameras they’re currently using. They upgrade the team’s three smaller camcorders with two new Hollywood-level cinema cameras. Much to everyone’s surprise, however, in the following months the team’s ambient stress level rises dramatically and its output slows to a crawl.

As counterintuitive as it might seem, when it comes to choosing the right camera for your video team, more expensive is not always better.

While acting with the best of intentions, the leadership of this church’s film team made the mistake of buying cameras they simply were not ready for in their stage of growth. As counterintuitive as it might seem, when it comes to choosing the right camera for your video team, more expensive is not always better.

Higher-end cameras are often very specialized in their feature sets, and are more limited in the number of things they do well. High-end cameras are usually more customizable by design, requiring a more complex build-out and setup process. These types of cameras often film at much higher data rates and flatter color profiles, which translate to slower post-production processes and higher continuing costs of operation.

The key to avoiding this common mistake begins by bringing other colleagues and video professionals into the conversation early on. Check out the great resources available online and on YouTube. Be open about where you’re at as a team, what you’re using now, and where you’re dreaming of going in the future. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover new options that will exceed your expectations without breaking the bank.

Mistake #4: Not Listening to the People Who Will Actually Be Operating the Camera Everyday

One of the most critical mistakes in selecting a video camera is that of excluding fellow video staff and high-capacity volunteers in the decision making process. The mistake often arises from an understandable desire to avoid unnecessary conflict. Unfortunately, this mistake can often be a prime example of creating long-term drama in the hopes of averting short-term discomfort.

One of the most critical mistakes in selecting a video camera is that of excluding fellow video staff and high-capacity volunteers in the decision making process.

The best way to head off this mistake at the pass is to make time to ask the members of your team for their perspective--and then take time to really listen to what they say. If possible, try to keep the conversations one-on-one and keep the focus on features and specs rather than brand names. Ultimately, keep in mind that they will be held responsible for the end results of the work they create with the new camera.

While you may be the one ultimately responsible for making the final decision or recommendation, keep in mind that the purchase of a new camera can serve as an important opportunity to encourage your team. Team leaders will sometimes have to make executive decisions, but deferring to the consensus of your team could pay big long-term dividends.

In Conclusion

Having the chance to purchase a new mission-critical tool like a video camera is a very big deal. It’s a moment to enjoy and celebrate. Realistically evaluate your needs, do your homework, buy the right camera for where you’re heading and then get started creating the kind of projects only you and your team can make.

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ALEX SCHWINDT is a filmmaker and writer with over two decades of ministry experience. He’s also the creative director of Alex Schwindt Media, a boutique media agency specializing in commercial, documentary and concept film and video.